The One Dish to Eat in Budapest

You can’t leave Budapest without eating this one dish. Plus: how to eat it, how to order, how to pay, and local etiquette tips.

You can’t leave Budapest without eating…

Gulyás (better known as goulash outside of Hungary). This might sound like the obvious choice, but gulyás is not only delicious and typifies many Hungarian flavors, but is also really misunderstood, so it’s worth trying the real thing while visiting Budapest. Gulyás is a rich, flavorful soup made primarily of beef, potatoes, and paprika—though it’s not a stew, as is commonly thought by travelers. (The typical Hungarian stew would be called pörkölt—which should also be sampled while in town.) The best versions also come with homemade pinched pasta (csipetke). You might not want to eat this hearty soup every day, but soups are an integral part of a Hungarian meal and you cannot leave Budapest without trying it.

HOW TO ORDER

Gulyás is available at most restaurants in Hungary. Sometimes it can come in a small size (csésze) or a larger portion (tanyér). It is most often made from beef (marha) or occasionally mutton (birka), but lesser versions can be also made with pork. Sometimes a menu will say gulyásleves ("goulash soup"), which is kind of redundant because it is always a soup. Sometimes a menu will say bográcsgulyás (which means gulyás prepared in a cauldron).

HOW TO EAT IT

Gulyás is always served with thick slices of crusty white bread. It is prepared with sweet paprika, so it is never a hot (spicy) dish. However, Hungarians like to spice things up at the table so restaurants always offer hot paprika (either a paste or a dried version) so you can add heat to the dish. Locals like to eat gulyás accompanied by a glass of local red wine such as kékfrankos (blaufrankisch) or kadarka.

HOW TO PAY

It’s polite to round your bill up, or tip from 10 to 15 percent for great service. When your server comes to collect your check, say then and there how much you want to pay in total. Always confirm whether service is included in the bill.

LOCAL TIPS

Do be sure to sample some of the wonderful new boutique Hungarian wines while you're in town. The quality and variety has improved tremendously over the past few years and there are now many wine bars and tasting options. Your Hungarian wine experience would not be complete without at least trying a mineralic white from Somló (such as Juhfark), a dry furmint and a sweet aszú from Tokaj, and perhaps a kékfrankos (blaufrankisch), kadarka, or cabernet franc from the southern regions of Szekszárd and Villány.

Do visit the Central Market, where you could spend hours exploring the three levels full of local specialties.

Do try a light bite along with gulyás, like lángos (a deep fried flat bread, sort of like a salty doughnut) with garlic and cheese.

Don’t leave coins as a tip—it’s considered rude. Stick to lower denomination notes.

Don’t order mineral water from the bottle. Budapest is blessed with an abundance of natural springs, so tap water is already enriched with minerals. A simple tap water is significantly better for both your wallet and the environment.